Extracting data from Turning Centers

[Nick Smith]

I have a Kira turning center, with a FANUC controller. Does anyone know what commands I need to place tooling ofset data on the hard drive so I can access the data using FTP and then put it into the SPC tools>

[mikeporter]

You are going to need two things:

First, some documentation on the code running in the Fanuc PLC. Specifically, you need to know where the desired data resides in the controller's memory map.

Second, you'll need some sort of way to communicate with the PLC. If the PLC can communicate via a standard protocol like Modbus you have it made! Do a search in the responses on this forum for "Modbus" and you'll find literally dozens of sources for LV Modbus drivers.

Failing the ability to establish connection via some sort of atandard protocol, you might have to get a little "creative". I once had a contract where I had to get data from an old TI PLC that had a fried serial port on it so I could talk to it using TI's native NITP protocol. The controller did ho
wever have a BASIC programming module on it that had it's own (functional) serial port.

Making use of that BASIC programability I wrote a command interpretter that had only one mnemonic command: GMTD (give me the data). When it received this command it would spit-out the 5 or 6 values I needed over it's serial port.

Hope this helps,

Mike...

[Nick Smith]

Mike:

I have established contact with the controller using FTP. MY problem is that I don't know how to manuipulate the controler to place the tolling offset data on the hard drive so I can extract it. Do you have any ideas on this.

[mikeporter]

If the controller has the ability to run an ftp server, it should have some sort of mechanism for saving some of its data into a file for you to read. Alternately, it might simply allow you to define certain memory locations as a virtual file that you can read. Check with Fanuc they should be able to give you specific advice on how to interact with their controllers.

Mike...

[mikeporter]

I just did a little poking around on the GE/Fanuc website and the only reference I can find to FTP is in documents discussing their CNC products. They apparently support FTP as a fast way of up/downloading part programs. Doesn't seem to helpful...

However, if you do a search for "labview" there are several hit for drivers that allow LV to talk to their controllers.

http://www.gefanuc.com/software/index.asp?mid=19&sid=70&oid=28&id=28

Mike...